奇怪 (qí guài) — strange, odd

Definition

The basic, everyday word for 'strange/odd' — used to comment on things, sounds, or people that seem unusual (这个人很奇怪). 陌生 describes what is unfamiliar to you; 怪 is similar but more colloquial.

adjective
strangeodd

Examples

  • 奇怪。
    Nà ge rén hěn qí guài.
    That person is very strange.
  • 奇怪。
    Wǒ tīng dào yí gè qí guài de shēng yīn.
    I heard a strange sound.
  • 奇怪。
    Zhè jiàn shì tài qí guài le.
    This matter is too strange.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

奇qístrange
怪guàiodd

‘奇’ means strange and ‘怪’ means odd, together describing something strange.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
大大dàbig; great
Sound part声符shēngfú
可
可kě奇
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

奇 pairs 大 (big; great) with 可, a sound part.

Open 奇 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
圣
圣shèng怪guài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怪 is built from 忄, a form of 心, which relates to mind or feeling, and 圣, which gives the sound.

Open 怪 →
Appears in
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